The framing was right.
… even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy-efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future -– because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy…
The call to action was admirable.
Meanwhile, China is not waiting to revamp its economy. Germany is not waiting. India is not waiting. These nations — they’re not standing still. These nations aren’t playing for second place. They’re putting more emphasis on math and science. They’re rebuilding their infrastructure. They’re making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs. Well, I do not accept second place for the United States of America.
But then the details, oh…the details were horribly wrong.
And that means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies.
And the call for the climate change legislation was woefully insufficient (and vague).
And, yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.
As were the limited emissions targets announced this morning: 28% by 2020 from a 2008 baseline.
It’s been a turbulent year for me, and there are many things I miss about living in Washington DC. The State of the Union address helped with that. President Obama gave us a clear picture of what clean isn’t. But this is a chance for cities around the world to become an example of what clean is. Wherever you live, now would be a good time to engage locally. Help build a brighter, truly competitive, honestly sustainable and clean future for your community, for your city. Because it looks like it’s up to us.
